In Haitian Vodou, Papa Legba is the intermediary between the loa

Loa

The Loa are the spirits of the voodoo religion practiced in Louisiana, Haiti, Benin, and other parts of the world. They are also referred to as Mystères and the Invisibles, in which are intermediaries between Bondye —the Creator, who is distant from the world—and humanity...

 and humanity. He stands at a spiritual crossroads and gives (or denies) permission to speak with the spirits of Guinee

Guinee

In Vodou, Guinee is the spirit world, a reference to the African homeland that slaves hoped their souls might be returned to after death....

, and is believed to speak all human languages. He is always the first and last spirit invoked in any ceremony, because his permission is needed for any communication between mortals and the loa - he opens and closes the doorway.